Bribery is one of the world’s most destructive and challenging issues. According to the information of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) over US$ 1 trillion is paid in bribes each year and the consequences are catastrophic, reducing quality of life, increasing poverty and eroding public trust.

Despite efforts on national and international levels to tackle bribery, it remains a significant issue. Recognizing this, ISO has developed a new standard to help organizations fight bribery.

ISO 37001, Anti-bribery management systems, specifies a series of measures to help organizations prevent, detect and address bribery, whether it is a bribery by the organization or of the organization, its personnel or business associates. By implementation of a series of measures and controls including supporting guidance, anti-bribery management systems define following requirements:

• anti-bribery policy and procedures;
• management leadership, commitment and responsibility;
• top management controls;
• training for anti-bribery fight;
• risk assessments and due diligence on projects and business associates;
• financial, commercial and contractual controls;
• reporting, monitoring, investigation and review;
• corrective action and continual improvement.

It is designed to help the organization to implement an anti-bribery management system, or enhance the controls that it currently has. ISO 37001 helps to reduce the risk of bribery occurring and can demonstrate to your stakeholders that you have put in place internationally recognized good-practice anti-bribery controls.

ISO 37001 can be used by any organization, large or small, whether it be in the public, private or voluntary sector, and in any country. It is a flexible tool, which can be adapted according to the size and nature of the organization and the bribery risk it faces.

You can learn more about the standard in this PowerPoint presentation.

Taken and adapted from: www.iso.org